HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- More than 200 Hispanic students failed to show up for school in Huntsville Thursday, the day after a federal judge allowed most of Alabama's new immigration enforcement law to take effect.

McDonnell Elementary in southwest Huntsville had the most absences with 38 Hispanic students missing from their seats, according to system records. University Place saw 31 absences, and Morris Elementary had 19.

Those numbers are unusually high. Under the new law, school officials must inquire about the birth certificates of new students, but the new law forbids teachers from sharing the identities of students in the country without documentation.

However, Huntsville school officials began to deliver messages in Spanish this week, telling students to return, and not to fear police who patrol the halls.

On the previous two Thursdays, Huntsville City Schools saw between 27 and 40 Hispanic students miss school. On the day after the judge's ruling, 207 of Huntsville's 1,435 Hispanic students didn't show up.

On Thursday, both Butler High School and Lakewood Elementary each had 14 Hispanic students absent. Frederick Barnes, principal of Lakewood, said that five of those 14 have since been withdrawn by their parents.

"One who just didn't show up, I spoke to a family friend who went by their house and said the house was empty. They were just gone," Barnes said on Friday.

Huntsville is not the only city in North Alabama reporting an exodus.

Dr. Frederic Ayer, superintendent of Albertville City Schools, where more than a quarter of students are Hispanic, said Friday that about 60 students had officially withdrawn since the court ruling on Wednesday.

Ayer also said the number of absences of Hispanic students on Thursday was 67. On Friday, that number spiked to 107, or about 9 percent of the Albertville district's 1,170 Hispanic students.

A similar effect was seen in Athens and Decatur, both located in counties where the Hispanic population roughly tripled over the last 10 years.

Keith Oldroyd, head of alternative programs for Athens City Schools in Limestone County, said 10 students have officially withdrawn following the judge's ruling. Another 20 Hispanic students were absent on Friday.

"We're waiting to see what happens next week, to determine if the absences are students who have left," Oldroyd said.

In Decatur, 174 Hispanic students were absent Thursday and 108 were absent Friday. Chip Miller, director of pupil services for the city schools, said 60 Hispanic students officially withdrew this week.

Dr. Casey Wardynski, Huntsville's superintendent, said that students already enrolled in the system should not be afraid to return to school. "We are ready to educate these kids," he said. "We are held accountable for them."

Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski recorded an interview for ETV Thursday night to reassure parents of undocumented children that their children could still attend classes. (YouTube)

The district got its message out Thursday night with a robo-call to parents, entirely in Spanish.

To assuage the fears of parents of undocumented students, Wardynski also on Thursday answered questions -- in Spanish -- during a televised broadcast.

The video, titled "Ley HB56 entrevista con Dr. Wardynski," or "Law HB56 interview with Dr. Wardynski," was shot at the school system's ETV studios and was posted on YouTube. A link to the video is also on the homepage of the district's website.

The clip is introduced by Ray Lopez, a teacher at Butler High School. Lopez states that many Spanish-speaking parents and students have questions about the new law.

He first asks Wardynski about students who are already enrolled. "Nuestros estudiantes no necesita tiene miedo," assures Wardynski, saying "our students need not be afraid."

If students are already enrolled, he says, they simply need to come to school as usual. Lopez also asks about new students. Wardynski tells him that school officials, as required by the law, will ask to see a child's birth certificate. However, Wardynski reminds viewers that the law seeks only to gather statistical information.

While district administrators are required to keep track of the number of undocumented children in their system, they are not allowed to violate the students' privacy rights by identifying them.

Each district's head count will be turned in to the state Education Department, which will in turn give the Legislature an annual report with the figures, and an analysis of the financial effects of teaching the students.

According to the law, the state school board's annual report must also analyze the effects "upon the standard or quality of education provided to students who are citizens" by the enrollment of "students who are aliens not lawfully present in the United States."

In the video clip, Wardynski and Lopez assure viewers that students have nothing to fear from police in schools, that the law represents no problem for students who already enrolled and that parents with more questions can contact Lopez at (256) 684-5554.

Keith Ward, a district spokesman, said the district hoped that a decrease in absenteeism Friday -- down to 127 from Thursday's 207 -- was influenced by Wardynski's interview.

"I think getting this out last night has maybe alleviated some of the panic and the fear," Ward said.

Ward said an English version of Wardynski's interview will air several times a day on School News and Views on ETV until Oct. 9. ETV is broadcast on Comcast Channel 17 and Knology Channel 99.

The Spanish interview will also be rebroadcast several times each day until Oct. 9.